Get Well Network

The
following comments were sent directly from patients or family members
in the hospital through the Get Well Network, the interactive in-room
television system located in most inpatient rooms.

Just wanted to share the profound difference in patient care since our
last stay here in 2005. Everyone from housekeeping to dietary to nurses
and physicians had a positive, friendly and helpful attitude. The
entire environment was one of excellent patient service to both patient
and family. Thank you for providing in room computer access, coffee
accessibility 24-7 on the hall and menu choices for the patient. It is
never pleasant to be in the hospital, but if it is necessary, we could
not have stayed in a more pleasant environment. Thank you so much for
the obvious effort that has gone into this effort. —Joseph Park, Jr., patient

Lindsey was very sympathetic and considerate of what I have been
through and was very good at drawing blood. Heather CA was great
because she made me get up and do things for myself from the start. She
was also very helpful. All the attending nurses were considerate and
kind.—Karen Mason, patient

Courtney, Johanna, Amber, Leelyn, Caroline, Dr. Jenkins, Dr. Shriner
and Dr. Powers all have made my husband’s stay here the very most
pleasant hospital experience we have ever encountered. They are kind,
pleasant, caring, attentive, knowledgeable and generally delightful to
deal with. We are most grateful to MUSC for finding the most awesome
doctors and staff and sharing them with us. You need to give each and
everyone of them a raise. A heartfelt thank you to each of them.—Van Morris Jr., patient

Employees of the Month

Nathaniel Williams, Central Energy PlantNathaniel Williams

“Nathaniel
Williams was very determined in helping a visitor who had dropped her
phone under the stairs of the conservatory. The door that allows access
did not reach the area, so he tried to reach the phone by slipping a
pair of mechanical fingers between the stairs. Unfortunately, the
fingers were not long enough. After trying a couple of squeegees and
not having any success, he finally found a broom handle that reached
the phone. He dragged the phone with the broom handle until the
mechanical fingers were able to grab hold of it. Nathaniel did what
others would not have. Without his determination, the visitor’s phone
would have been lost. Thank you!
—Nominated by John Rhotan

Bob Wynn, Therapeutic Services
“Bob was walking back from lunch on May 29 when he heard a call
that a mother had delivered her baby in the bathroom at the main
hospital entrance in North Tower. He quickly responded by going in. He
told a nurse to hold the baby below the mom’s waist and then used the
hemostats he had in his pocket to clamp off the baby's cord. He also
speaks Spanish very well and was able to communicate to the Hispanic
mother and reassure her everything would be okay.”
—Nominated by Dawn Pike

Andrew Cherokee, Sleep Lab A patient came in for a sleep study and
brought a very sentimental object from a deceased parent. The item was
inadvertently mixed in with the laundry after the bed was stripped and
sent to the laundry area. Andrew went out of his way, going through
multiple laundry bags, to find the item for the patient. He often goes
“the extra mile” to help people.
—Nominated by Barrie Tyler

May Physician of the MonthLara Hourani, M.D., Internal Medicine Dr. Lara Hourani celebrates with her team after receiving Physician of the Month.

“We were having
difficulties with the logistics of getting a car from Charleston to get
home from the hospital. Dr. Hourani deferred to drive 160 miles round
trip on her day off to help, which was very thoughtful and caring.”—Nominated by Salley Sweeney

“Dr. [Ian] Johnson has
gone above and beyond in caring for my husband. His bedside manner and
interpersonal skills gave my husband the utmost confidence in the care
he was going to receive. Dr. Johnson called him at home when he had
questions and even responded on the weekend when issues arose with his
post-surgical recovery. Having someone like Dr. Johnson—with his
mannerisms, knowledge and excellent care—is what made the experience so
positive. The patient did not feel like “just a patient.” He felt like
Dr. Johnson had a sincere interest in his care. Dr. Johnson spoke with
me post-operatively, came by the room before he left for the day and
explained everything again, including what the course of my husband’s
stay would be like. He is just great and has excellent clinical skills
and interpersonal rapport. I would recommend him to everyone!—Nominated by Anne Benton

2009 Employee of the Year votingVote for one of the 10 finalistsWho: All MUHA employees are encouraged to voteWhat: Choose one of the top 10 nomineesWhen: 7 a.m. July 14 to 7 a.m. July 22Where: Medical center intranetHow: Employees should use their NetID to log-in and vote

Friday, July 17, 2009

The
Catalyst Online is published weekly by the MUSC Office of Public
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University of South Carolina. The Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn,
can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to The Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.